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What was up with the electronics?I like Mr. Robellis 6 strings. I found this one dirt cheap and after I fixed the electronics and adjusted everything have been truly happy with it. Would like a club number if possible
Not sure what electronics you have in your 6'er, but the active electronics in my 4 string and my 8 (octave) string are great, especially for basses that cost me under $200.
Not sure who made the electronics? The pots might be Alphas. Theres a plastic black block that has all the active parts all potted in it. There is some shielding in the cavity thanks to a pretty thick coating of conductive black paint. Overall I would say the noise floor is pretty low when it used in active mode. The volume pot pulls up to turn the active electronics on. push it in and its all passive. Theres a pot for blending the pickups. Theres a master tone pot and theres another one I have not quite figured out yet. As for what else I can tell from the cavity - the wood in the body might be basswood which is fine for this application. I know its not plywood or compressed sawdust. The top seems to be a veneer - I say this because I can see in places where it must of been sanded and shaped to blend together and follow a contour vrs just being a paper cutout glued to it......
I sold it 35 years ago, but I had a Carlo Robelli double neck guitar like Jimmy Page's Gibson in the 70's. I was told by the Sam Ash guys at the time they were made in one of the factories that made Ibanez guitars in Japan - I've never confirmed that though. It was a very heavy guitar! lol
That's a whole lot of electronics going on for a "cheap" bass. Yet another reason I really like Carlo Robelli basses.
I agree, there is next to no information about these basses available. What little you do find is typically about the
higher end products made up until the 70's (80's?) but almost nothing about when it became the Sam Ash house brand
in the 90's other than to say that it was the Sam Ash house brand.
I've spoken with the manager from my local Sam Ash in Queens, and he knows nothing about them. Them younger guys
that have just started working there don't even know what a Carlo Robelli is.
@JustForSport was kind enough to forward me a bunch of information quite a while ago, but I was remiss in my duties
as Mr. Carlo Robelli's #2 because life got difficult for me. I promise to take some time and go through his old messages
and post whatever pertinent info I've got.
I've also wanted, for quite some time now, to email Sam Ash corporate, which is located not far from me, in Long Island, NY,
to inform them of our small club and ask them if they have any information whatsoever regarding the Carlo Robelli line.
I agree, there is next to no information about these basses available. What little you do find is typically about the
higher end products made up until the 70's (80's?) but almost nothing about when it became the Sam Ash house brand
in the 90's other than to say that it was the Sam Ash house brand.
I've spoken with the manager from my local Sam Ash in Queens, and he knows nothing about them. Them younger guys
that have just started working there don't even know what a Carlo Robelli is.
@JustForSport was kind enough to forward me a bunch of information quite a while ago, but I was remiss in my duties
as Mr. Carlo Robelli's #2 because life got difficult for me. I promise to take some time and go through his old messages
and post whatever pertinent info I've got.
I've also wanted, for quite some time now, to email Sam Ash corporate, which is located not far from me, in Long Island, NY,
to inform them of our small club and ask them if they have any information whatsoever regarding the Carlo Robelli line.
Well, you're probably in the right geo location to get more info if it's still avail. Maybe someone that's been with one of the Sam Ash stores for quite a while may know something, but hopefully, Sam Ash Corp can help.
I just tried Ken Smith Compressors on the fretless I have, and they brought it to life.
There was another one like mine for sale near NYC about a year ago, but the seller wouldn't ship, and I'm in Fla. It was for sale ('bay) for $100.
I just tried Ken Smith Compressors on the fretless I have, and they brought it to life.
There was another one like mine for sale near NYC about a year ago, but the seller wouldn't ship, and I'm in Fla. It was for sale ('bay) for $100.
The first photo in post #85 looks like a mahogany body due to the grain, altho it would be better if natural sunlight was on/near the bass to show it better. The last photo still looks like it could be mahogany because some is ribboned, altho most doesn't have much contrasting grain. Some of the basses were of light weight alder. My fretless is only 7.5#.
I weighed it and its approximately 9 pounds. Maybe it is Mahogany
Whatever it is I like it - thanks for info!
Just saw a vintage Carlo Robelli, Rickenbacker copy on ebay. $399 including hard shell case, + $35 shipping.
Unfortunately, no money, no honey and no Carlo Robelli.
Saw a similar one for $789 + $45 shipping.
I would have liked to get the $399 one, just for the novelty of it. I'm not a huge Ric fan, but I AM a huge Carlo Robelli fan.
Unfortunately, no money, no honey and no Carlo Robelli.
Saw a similar one for $789 + $45 shipping.
I would have liked to get the $399 one, just for the novelty of it. I'm not a huge Ric fan, but I AM a huge Carlo Robelli fan.
GO, TEAM, GO!!!!!!
The auction is now over, but I think you can still see the pics
Carlo Robelli Wood Grain 4 String Solid Body Electric Bass 1065390 w/ Hard Case
The auction is now over, but I think you can still see the pics
Carlo Robelli Wood Grain 4 String Solid Body Electric Bass 1065390 w/ Hard Case
As an eBay Associate, TalkBass may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Ditto.
I wasn't even really aware that they made those at one time.
It was in so-so shape, what with the chunk of wood missing on the backside near the bottom strap button, and the veneer
coming off in the same place. Also, the mid p'up looked shoddy, but the other CR Ric clone I saw had the same looking
p'up, so I can only assume it was stock.
Well, I just applied for a job. If I get it, I can start spending money on stuff again!
And although I'm not into Rics, I am eventually going to buy a copy of the Ric made for Lemmy with
all the wood relief work.
Various links with info about Carlo Robelli instruments. They are not all just specific to bass, but they do
offer some information. These were all submitted to my by @JustForSport quite a while back, but I'm just
getting around to posting them now. There doesn't seem to be very much info out there.
If anyone comes across anything of interest, please let me and the club know.
These first two links talk about the CR 12 string bass:
Invalid Link Removed
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
These next two links are very similar. The first is an article written about CR guitars, but also mentions basses.
The second link seems to be a plagiarized and shorter version of the first:
Link Removed
Invalid Link Removed
This link talks a bit about the "vintage" CR's made in the 70's:
Carl's Guitar Corner Email Special Archives-April 2011
And this is the feeble CR entry on Wikipedia:
Invalid Link Removed
offer some information. These were all submitted to my by @JustForSport quite a while back, but I'm just
getting around to posting them now. There doesn't seem to be very much info out there.
If anyone comes across anything of interest, please let me and the club know.
These first two links talk about the CR 12 string bass:
Invalid Link Removed
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
These next two links are very similar. The first is an article written about CR guitars, but also mentions basses.
The second link seems to be a plagiarized and shorter version of the first:
Link Removed
Invalid Link Removed
This link talks a bit about the "vintage" CR's made in the 70's:
Carl's Guitar Corner Email Special Archives-April 2011
And this is the feeble CR entry on Wikipedia:
Invalid Link Removed
Electronics is the the thing. I've got a Carlo Robelli 8 string. Probably was the worst bass ever sold. Sam Ash was selling them for about $300 and I bought it new on sale for $150. Then later I took it to GC as a trade (basically unplayed) and they offered me $35 for it. The bass had the worst neck dive ever seen. Made a T-bird look like an amateur. I had to add a 4" strap button extension and move the rear button up about 3" to fix it. The body seemed to be made of Celotex. Strap screws kept pulling out so I put 3 inch screws in there to fix it. And not only that it's painted in this silver sparkle paint like a cheap Japanese drumset! eeew!
So why do I still have it? Because it's an 8 string! How cool is that? AND the electronics. Cripes! They are the best electronics I've ever heard! And I've got some really high end basses! How in the world did they get in that bass? That old Carlo is just the 8 string shiznit!
And I've also got two Carlo Robelli 12 string guitars. Oddly one is blond natural with cutaway and looks like a million and sounds awful. The other is a plain old black paint one with no cutaway and just sings! I just play it's butt off!
No, I don't want a number and if asked I'll deny that I own any Carlo Robelli instruments!
Electronics is the the thing. I've got a Carlo Robelli 8 string. Probably was the worst bass ever sold. Sam Ash was selling them for about $300 and I bought it new on sale for $150. Then later I took it to GC as a trade (basically unplayed) and they offered me $35 for it. The bass had the worst neck dive ever seen. Made a T-bird look like an amateur. I had to add a 4" strap button extension and move the rear button up about 3" to fix it. The body seemed to be made of Celotex. Strap screws kept pulling out so I put 3 inch screws in there to fix it. And not only that it's painted in this silver sparkle paint like a cheap Japanese drumset! eeew!
So why do I still have it? Because it's an 8 string! How cool is that? AND the electronics. Cripes! They are the best electronics I've ever heard! And I've got some really high end basses! How in the world did they get in that bass? That old Carlo is just the 8 string shiznit!
And I've also got two Carlo Robelli 12 string guitars. Oddly one is blond natural with cutaway and looks like a million and sounds awful. The other is a plain old black paint one with no cutaway and just sings! I just play it's butt off!
No, I don't want a number and if asked I'll deny that I own any Carlo Robelli instruments!
I agree, the electronics are phenomenal. It's one of the things I love about my CR basses.
As far as the build quality of the 8 string, I have the opposite experience. Mine (both of them) have held up very well, no problems or issues.
I removed the strap buttons to install strap locks, and all I did was add a couple of toothpicks and a tiny bit of wood glue when I installed
them, which is what I do to all my basses, and they've never had an issue.
Yeah, SOME neck dive, but it was never horrible for me. I don't deny that it's an issue. I mean, c'mon, it's got 8 tuners up at the head
But mine was never a huge problem. Perhaps my strap counteracted it? I don't know, but I did gig with it and record with it
and it was never overly problematic for me.
As far as the guitars go, it was mentioned to me at one point many years ago, from a Sam Ash employee, that the build quality for the basses
was considered much better than the guitars, after production was moved to Asia.
You're not obligated to have a club number, but if you ever change your mind and want to openly enjoy your CR's, I'll be happy to provide you
with one.
I'm bummed because, although I don't have the money now, I was hoping to start working soon. That's out
the door too, because I just tore my bicep tendon and had surgery. No work for 3 months.
But, since this bass didn't sell during the auction, I was hoping to pick it up sometime in the future.
I just noticed that it was sold. Bummer. My dream is crushed.
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